Updated: 11 injured as diesel tanker explodes on Otedola Bridge

At least 11 people sustained varying degrees of injury when a tanker loaded with diesel exploded on the Otedola Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Saturday evening.

Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Olusegun Ogungbemide, confirmed the figure, said the explosion occurred when the tanker rolled back and collided with another articulated truck carrying goods and a salon (car).

He said, “The impact of the collision resulted in the explosion. About 11 passengers involved in the crash but no death was recorded.

“The rescue teams of FRSC, Lagos Fire Service and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were quickly mobilised to the scene for rescue operation.”

Acting Zonal Coordinator, South-West at the National Emergency Management Agency, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, in his own report, said the tanker carrying 44,000 litres of diesel was heading towards the Berger axis of the expressway when one of its tyres suddenly burst.

He said some people around the area had called out to the tanker driver to stop, but he reportedly tried to reverse the vehicle.

This, Farinloye said, made the tanker to collide with some other vehicles behind it as it rolled back.

He added that the driver of a goods truck, family of six in a car and the tanker driver with his assistant, were initially trapped in the accident but later escaped.

A tweet by LASEMA) also stated, “The agency has responded to the above (referring to the picture of the burning tanker) and upon arrival of the agency’s officials at the incident scene, it was observed that a tanker conveying an unknown amount of diesel fell, had spilled (its content). The incident resulted in an explosion that affected a truck conveying goods.”

The section of the road where the accident occurred was later cordoned off to allow emergency response agencies put out the fire. This resulted in hours of gridlock.